Do you think grammar and good spelling matter less in the blogosphere?
When teaching our clients how to blog for business, we always recommend they adopt a more personable, conversational tone when writing. A business blog is not the place to do a hard sell or use complicated jargon. While the tone might be more casual in your blog, this is no reason to let your spelling or grammar standards slip.
Ten years ago when I first started teaching public relations skills, I recommended a certain grammar guide which sat on my desk at work and which I constantly referred to. While I have been writing professionally for many years, that style guide is one I still use. Grammar basics may come more naturally to me now, but I can still get caught out on some of the more complicated aspects of it, which is where the grammar guide comes in.
By your writing, you shall be known
Despite falling standards in grammar, many people will still judge you by your writing. Grammatical and spelling errors on your blog, your Facebook updates, your emails, and your company website damages your credibility and authority as an expert in your field. However unfair this may seem – after all a grammar mistake or two doesn’t mean you are any less competent at your job – the reality is that when you need to make a good impression online, good grammar makes good business sense.
Tomorrow, we will take a look at some of the most common grammatical errors people make in their writing, and show you how to avoid them.
Marie Ennis-O’Connor BA, MIAPR, holds an Honours degree in History from University College Dublin. She is a graduate of the Irish Academy of Public Relations and has worked in a variety of PR roles over the past 12 years. Marie is editor of several award-winning blogs ranging from life sciences to health to business. She is a panel member of the newly established Bloggers International and is a regular contributor to Health Works Collective, an online community for thought leaders in international healthcare. She is a featured blogger on Webicina, an online service that provides curated medical social media resources in over 80 medical topics and over 17 languages, and has been awarded a top blogger accolade by Empowered Doctor.com and most inspiring writer by WegoHealth. Marie is also in demand as a trainer in social media marketing and travels the country teaching small business owners how to get online and maximise their online presence.
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